Baker&#39;s peel.



H. L. SGHROEDER.

'BAKEES PEEL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27. 1910.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

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FICEQ HENRY L. SCI-IROEDER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BAKER S PEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

Application filed August 27, 1910. Serial No. 579,208.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY L. SCHROEDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bakers Peels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawmg.

This invention relates to improvements in bakers peels, and its object is to provide simple and efficient means for connecting together the blades and handles of the same.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel combinations of elements being set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying draw ingsFigure 1 represents a plan view of a bakers peel embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the preferred form of'handle, the left hand end of the handle being broken away. Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view of Fig. 1,- taken on the line 44 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

5 designates the blade having the short shank 9 of reduced width, as indicated in Fig. 1. The blade 5, as indicated in Fig. 2, is tapered toward the end which is first to be inserted into an oven.

6 designates the handle, which may be of any length desired. Heretofore such handles have been connected to the blades of the peels by means of two separate bolts spaced apart to keep the handles and blades in alinement with each other and assist in supporting the load. In my device, however, as shown in the accompanying drawings, only one bolt 7 need be used and that only for maintaining a proper connection between the handle and the blade when the latter is pulled out of the oven. It will be seen that this bolt is a single straight bolt having no bent portions, and by reason of the reduced width of the shank 9 this bolt may be made short. This bolt 7 extends laterally through openings 8 in the shank 9 of the blade 5 and also through an opening 10 in the handle 6. By reason of the reduced width of the shank 9, the o enings 8 and 10 can be produced with facility and shorter bolts 7 used, but the jaws of the shank 9 should be of suflicient width for properly sustaining the stresses which are exerted thereon when a load is carried on the blade 5. After the bolt 7 has been placed in proper position to connect the handle 6 to the blade 5, as indicated in Fig. 1, the nut 11 may be used to secure the blade in fixed position with respect to the handle. It will be evident that if another bolt were required to the right of the one shown in Fig. 1 the blade 5 would have to have a portion thereof cut away at 12. In the peel shown, however, the portion 12 can be utilized for supporting additional material such as a loaf of bread. Therefore by having the connection shown include only one bolt the peel can support more material or loaves of bread when the blade 5' is made out of a given length of material, such as wood,'of which the blade 5 is usually made. It will also be seen that when a single straight bolt is used only a short shank 9 need be used. Furthermore, when the handles are connected to the blade in the manner hereinafter described and the bolt 7 is in place to prevent longitudinal movement of the handle with respect to the blade, the entire device consists of only three different parts, namely, the blade, the han dle and the bolt. This results in a simplification of the construction of the peel, in a saving of material, and in a greater efficiency in operating the same.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the handle 6 is provided with lateral longitudinally extending grooves 15, 15, into which fit corresponding projections or tongues 16, 16, which are preferably integral with the blade 5. Between the upper and lower flat surfaces and the grooves 15, 15, the handle is rounded at 13, 13 and 14, 14, as shown in Fig. 4. The inner end of the handle 6 is also rounded as indicated in Fig. 2, and is provided with a central groove as shown in- Figs. 2 and 3. This central grove is in reality a continuation of the lateral grooves 15, 15, and fits into a corresponding projection which connects the tongues 16.

When the handle 6 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, both the lateral rounded portions and the end rounded portions of the handle 6 fit into corresponding rounded recesses in the blade 5. The longitudinal cut in the blade 5 may be produced in a plurality of operations or in a single operation by means of a rotary cutting tool which will not only make the longitudinal cut, but at the same time form the lateral and end tongues 15 and the lateral and endrounded portions 13, 1e and let, 14..

The form of the lateral walls and the inner end wall of the longitudinal cut in the blade 5 is an important feature of my invention as it permits the cut to be made by a rotary cutting tool by a single operation and produces a out which secures several advantages. This is particularly true of the inner end of the longitudinal out because all tendency for splitting the wood during the cutting operation is avoided. Heretofore in attempting to etfect a proper socket at the inner end of the longitudinal cut the tendency was for the wood at such inner end of the cut to be partially split, thereby tending to ruin the blade. It should also be noted that the longitudinal cut in the blade is of substantially the same width throughout, so that when the handle is inserted there is no wedging action tending to split the blade. Furthermore, the socket in the lateral walls of the cutand in the inner end thereof is continuous and fits into the groove 15 in handle 6 throughout its entire length,thereby more equally distributing the stresses and maintaining the upper and lower surfaces of the handle flush with the blade where it engages with the latter. Not only are the parts of the peel reduced to a minimum, but it is made up almost entirely of wood so that the objections due to unequal expansion of metal and wood are overcome, the unequal expansion of the bolt 8 with respect to the wood which it engages is immaterial, however, as it causes little or no annoyance.

When the grooved handle is inserted into the blade 5, the material which is placed on the blade can be easily lifted from place to place without the bolt 7 in position, and because of the distribution of the stresses on the handle 6 at itslengaging portion of the blade 5 the connection between the handle 6 and the blade 5 is very strong and durable.

it will be noted furthermore that even without the bolt 7 the material on the blade 5 may be placed into the oven and when it is desired to withdraw the blade the handle 6 will become released from the blade. I prefer therefore to employ the bolt 7, which it will be observed, is a single straight bolt passing through registering openings in the shank 9 and the handle 6 and is retained in position either by friction or by the nut 11 or both. When a single straight bolt is used, as shown in Fig. 1,'the shank 9 could even be shorter than that shown, but to illustrate the operation of the spring catch the shank 9 is slightly longer than absolutely necessary.

When it is desired to use one handle for several blades the bolt 7 may fit loosely through the shank 9 and handle 6, so that it can be easily removed and the handle connected to several blades successively. However, when the handle is desired to be detached quickly the spring-pressed catch 17 may be used, which fits into a notch 18 in the shank 9, either at the lateral edge as shown or in one of its flat surfaces. This catch 17 may extend toward the handle 6 and be provided with a loose pivot 18 The catch 17 may also be provided with a thumb-piece 19, which is arranged to be held in its outermost position by means of the spring 20 fitting in a recess 21 in the handle 6. A bolt 22 passing freely through an opening in the leaf spring 19 and through the coiled spring 20 is fastened rigidly to the handle 6. The bolt 22 holds the spring 20 in place and also prevents lateral movement of the catch 17. If desired, the catch 17 may be arranged on the upper surface of the handle 6 to engage a notch in the flat surface of the shank 9. Therefore if the bolt 7 is omitted and the handle 6 inserted into the cut in the blade 5, the handle and the blade will be automatically locked together so that after the material has been inserted into the oven and baked the blade and such material may be withdrawn without causing the handle to become detached from the blade. Whenever desired, as for instance, when baked material is taken out of an oven and placed on a shelf, the handle 6 may be easily removed by pressing on the spring 19 with the thumb and releasing the latch 17 in the notch 18. After disconnecting the handle from the blade 5 in this manner it may be automatically connected to another blade.

Although I have shown the handle 6 provided with a lateral groove and rounded portions which fit over corresponding tongues or projections and into recesses in the blade 5, as indicated in the drawings, I wish it to be understood that the inner portion of the handle 6 may be otherwise shaped to fit into a correspondingly shaped opening in the blade 5 so long as the handle 6 must be inserted into the blade 5 longitudinally and the engaging portions between the handle 6 and the blade 5 extend throughout substantially the entire lateral surface of the handle 6 which engages the opening in the blade 5, and provided the handle 6 cannot be twisted or turned with respect to the blade 5, thereby compressing the material and destroying the close fit between the handle and the blade. The longitudinal tongues and grooves insure a close fit between the handle 6 and the blade 5 at all times and maintain 'the upper and lower surfaces of the handle 6 flush with the upper and lower surfaces of the blade 5. By thus distributing the stresses between the handle 6 and the blade 5 at their engaging portions a firm and rigid connection is maintained between the handle 6 and the blade 5, whereas by meansof two bolts spaced apart continual wear would cause the connection between the handle and the blade to become loose. Furthermore, by having only rounded portions on the handle 6 to engage corresponding rounded recesses in the blade 5, the connection between the handle 6 and the blade 5 would soon become loose, due to twisting, and therefore the upper and lower surfaces of the handle 6 would no longer be flush with the upper and lower surfaces of the blade 5, thus interfering with the placing of the material on the blade 5 when the latter is wedged under such material, for the reason that the projecting upper surface of the handle 6 would be continually scraping on the bottom of the material and tearing some of it away.

By the arrangement of distributing the stresses, which I have shown, not only is a firmer connection maintained, but a blade made of a given length of board can hold more material and the blade will always be smooth over its entire area on both sides. It should also be noted that I have not only improved the construction of the peel, but also reduced the number of necessary parts, while at the same time making the peel more efiicient.

Obviously, those skilled in the art could make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the claims. I desire, therefore, not to be limited to the precise construction herein disclosed. v

lVhat I claim, and desire to have secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a bakers peel, the combination with a blade having a longitudinal opening, of a handle extending into said opening, a single continuous and uniform retaining connection between the handle and the blade, and a device for locking the handle and blade together. i

2. In a bakers peel, the combination with a blade composed of like material throughout and having a short shank, of a handle composed of like material throughout, a single continuous tongue and groove connection between said handle and blade, and a single straight rod extending through registering openings in said shank and handle for connecting the handle and blade together.

3. In a'bakers peel, the combination with a blade of tapering longitudinal cross-section.and having a short shank, of a. handle fitting into a longitudinal opening extending through said shank into said blade, the exposed surfaces of the handle where c0nnected to the blade being flush with the fiat surfaces of the blade, a single continuous retaining connection between the handle and the blade, and means for locking together the handle and the blade.

4. In a bakers peel, the combination with a blade entirely of wood, of a' handle-entirely of wood fitting therein, a single continuous and uniform retaining connection between the handle and the blade to enable the handle to sustain the blade and material thereon and prevent twisting of said handle, and a device for locking together the handle and blade against relative movement. 5

51 In a bakers peel, the combination with a blade having a short shank with a longitudinal cut extending through the same into the blade, of inner continuous and uniform retaining walls in said longitudinal cut, a on handle having retaining surfaces corresponding to said retaining wall to effect a close fit between the handle and the blade, lock the handle against twisting relatively to the blade, and enable the handle to sus- 9 5 tain the blade and material thereon with the load uniformly distributed over said retaining wall and retaining surface, and a single device to lock the handle and blade together against relative longitudinal movement.

6. In a bakers peel, the combination with a blade having no metal in its construction, of a non-metallic handlefittinginto an opening in said blade, a single uniform and continuous retaining connection between said handle and blade to enable the handle to sustain the blade and material thereon and at the same time prevent twisting of the handle, said connection having no metal in its construction, and means for locking together the handle and blade against relative longitudinal movement.

7. In a bakers peel, the combination with a blade entirely of wood and having a short shank and being provided with a longitudinal cut through said shank into a portion of the .blade, said cut having inner retaining walls at bothsides and at the inner end continuous and uniform throughout, of a handle entirely of Wood and having engaging surfaces to fit closely the retaining walls in said cut, and means for locking the handle and blade together.

8. In a bakers peel, the combination with a blade entirely of wood and having a longitudinal cut in one end thereof of substantially the same width throughout and having inner and end retaining walls continuous and uniform throughout, of a handle having corresponding retaining surfaces continuous and uniform throughout to fit name to this specification, in the presence of closely the retaining Walls and uniformly two subscribing witnesses, on this 23rd day distribute the stresses on the engaging surof August A. D. 1910. faces between the handle and the blade, and I HENRY L. SCHROEDER. 71' a single bolt for connecting the blade and Witnesses:

handle together. GRACE We'r'rs,

In testimony whereof I have signed my A. L. SPRINKLE. 

